Mid Season Football Round-up

By Paul Carton

Pictured are Danny Rooney Committee Member and Barry Ashmore, Director of Ashmore Ryder. Photo by Tony Faulkner.

After gaining promotion to Major Saturday League 1A last season, Ringsend Rovers are in a good position to achieve back to back promotions as they are currently in third place, three points behind leaders Broadford Rovers but with a game in hand.

Rovers were leading the league up till the Christmas break and have played and lost just one game since then. The team can also be proud of signing a new sponsorship deal with Ashmore Ryder Ltd, the motor body accident repair centre based in Ringsend. Tony Faulkner, Director of Ringsend Rovers, praised the local support of Ashmore Ryder for the kit and teamwear sponsorship and also to the Shipwright Lounge for their support too. “Sponsorship is getting increasingly hard to find but it’s an added bonus when it’s from local businesses,” said Tony.

Cambridge Football Club, who, this year, are celebrating their 50th year developing boys’ and girls’ football skills in the area, have cause for double celebrations when they open their new sports hall at 2pm on February the 17th. The club applied for funding through the Covanta funding programme and received €64k for a refurbishment of their clubhouse. The Sportshall is fully equipped with a kitchen and multi-function dressing rooms for girls and boys and a new sports hall that is still in the process of expansion.

Newsfour asked Cambridge’s Public Relations Officer  David Ryan for an update on how the teams are doing, “Cambridge currently have three girls’ teams and 11 boys’ teams. The under 10s and the academy team are in the top-flight in their respective leagues, playing against massive clubs like St Kevin’s Boys, and so this new sports hall is much needed for the teams to train in” said David.

St Pats CYFC secretary David Nolan has high hopes for his team and management this season as they currently sit second place in the highest division in the Leinster Senior League and the prospect of a new clubhouse on the horizon. The team also recently received funding through Covanta when they put in a joint application with Crusaders Athletic Club and received €1.6million to which St. Pats receive 75% of that. They are currently in talks with the council and are due to step into the planning stage soon for their new clubhouse that will be on the grounds of the Irishtown Stadium.

A team in need of a boost at present is Booterstown United, who play in the UCFL Division 2 league and currently 7th in the league. The team, who source players from the surrounding Booterstown area have recently been promoted into the division but due to injuries coach Eoghan O Malley has had to play the 90 minutes making decisions on the pitch alongside assistant Gearoid Keegan. Since the Christmas break, pitches have been unavailable on match day leaving the team despondent and in desperate need of of funding if they are to compete in these rugged UCFL leagues.